Merrow
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Enchanted by the sea, Renesmee fulfills the quest of her ancestors and seeks out Jacob, an ancient shapeshifter, and the two head out to restore the heart of Te Fiti.
1. In the Beginning

Esme leaned over the group of Quiluete children, that included little Renesmee.

"In the beginning, there was only ocean, until the Mother Island emerged. Te Fiti. Her heart held the greatest power ever known. It could create life itself. And Te Fiti shared it with the world. But in time some began to seek Te Fiti's heart. They believed if they could posses it, the great power of creation would be theirs. And one day..."

Renesmee leaned forward.

"The tribes were born. There were the Cold Ones...and the Quiluete. For a long time, the tribes were at war, and who could gain Te Fiti's heart first would be the one who would emerge victorious. Until one day..."

Renesmee stared, intelligent eyes at Esme.

"The Alpha of the Quiluete Pack, Jacob Black, with his shape-shifting powers, stole the heart of Te Fiti. But without her heart, Te Fiti began to crumble giving birth to a terrible darkness. Jacob tried to escape, but was confronted by another who sought the heart. Te Kâ! A demon of earth and fire."

The children gasped.

"Jacob was struck from the sky...never to be seen again. And his magical fish hook and the heart of Te Fiti were lost to the sea. Where, even now, a thousand years later, Te Kâ and the demons of the deep still hunt for the heart. Hiding in a darkness that will continue to spread, chasing away our fish, draining the life from island after island, until every one of us is devoured by the bloodthirsty jaws of inescapable death!"

The children wailed.

"But one day, the heart will be found by someone who will journey beyond the reef, find Jacob, deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Fiti's heart and save us all."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Thank you, Mother. That's enough." Edward said, coming in and scooping up his daughter.

"Papa." Renesmee said.

"No one goes outside the reef. We are safe here. There is no darkness. There are no monsters." Edward said.

He accidentally set off all the tapestries of monsters.

"Monsters!" All the toddlers screamed.

"There's no monsters, no monsters..." Edward calmed them.

"It's the darkness!" Toddlers yelled.

"No, there is nothing beyond our reef, but storms and rough seas." Edward said sternly.

"I'm gonna throw up." Toddlers wavered around.

"As long as we stay on our very safe island, we'll be fine." Edward said.

"The legends are true. Someone will have to go." Esme scolded.

"Mother, La Push is a paradise. Who would want to go anywhere else?" Edward said.


	2. Ocean

Renesmee headed out to the water when she saw a bird pecking at a baby turtle.

She cradled the turtle and pulled it out to the water, staving off the birds attacks, and setting it free.

The ocean reached out to meet her and cradled her in its in embrace; offering her a shell.

Renesmee chased into the sea, following the trail of shells until she found a glowing stone: the heart of Te Fiti.

Renesmee held it in her hands, and then heard the sound of her father on the beach and ran back to the beach.

"Renesmee?" Edward gathered her in his arms. "There you are, Renesmee. What are you doing? You scared me."

"What? I wanna go back." Renesmee said.

"I know, I know. But you don't go out there. It's dangerous. Renesmee, come on. Let's go back to the village. You are the next great chief of our village of our people." Edward said.

"And you will do wonderous things, my little minnow." Bella patted her and embraced her husband.

"Oh, yes. But first, you must learn where you're meant to be." Edward said.


	3. Where You Are

"Renesmee. This island gives you what you need." Edward said. "You must not leave and you must follow tradition. Look! The dancer dance to ancient songs."

"We don't need anything new!" Dancer said.

"Come, Renesmee, there's much to do!" Edward said.

Renesmee followed him.

"We weave baskets and share everything. We fish out at sea." Edward said.

Renesmee went out on the beach. "I wanna see."

"You cannot go." Edward said. "You will be Chief someday."

"Chief Renesmee!" Everyone cheered.

"You'll find happiness of your own, right where you are." Edward said. "The island gives us what we need and—"

"No one leaves." Renesmee sighed.

She found her grandmother Esme on the edge of the water.

"Renesmee." Esme said. "It's good to follow tradition and do as your father said. But remember to always follow your heart and who you are inside."

Edward approached.

"Dad! I was only looking at the boats. I wasn't gonna get on 'em." Renesmee said.

"Mmm." Esme smiled.

Edward sighed. "Come on. There's something I need to show you. I've wanted to bring you here from the moment you opened your eyes. This is a sacred place. A place of Chiefs. That will come a time when you will stand on this peak and place a stone on this mountain. Like I did. Like my father did. And his father, and every chief that has ever been. And on that day, when you add your stone, you will raise this whole island together. You are the future of our people, Renesmee. And they are not out there. They are right here. It's time to be who they need you to be."

"I'll stay here." Renesmee said. "And as for tomorrow, I will be the Chief."

"You can find happiness where you are, Renesmee." Edward said.


	4. Renesmee's Advice

"And every storm, this roof leaks, no matter how many fronds I had." Villager said.

"Fixed! Not the fronds." Renesmee grunted. "Wind shifted the post."

"Ah!" Villager said.

"I'm curious about that chicken eating the rock. He seems to lack the basic intelligence required for pretty much everything. Should we maybe just cook him?" Villager said to Renesmee.

"Sometimes our strengths lie beneath the surface. Far beneath in some cases. But I'm sure there's more to Heihei than meets the eye." Renesmee said.

"It's the harvest. This morning, I was husking the coconuts and..." Villager said.

"Well, we should clear the diseased trees and we will start a new grove. There." Renesmee said.

"Thanks, Renesmee." Villager turned to Edward. "She's doing great."

"This suits you." Edward said.

"Chief?" Fisherman was panting. "There's something you need to see. Our traps in the east lagoon, they're pulling up less and less fish."

"Then we'll rotate the fishing grounds." Renesmee said.

"Uh, we have. There's no fish." Fisherman said.

"Oh. Then we'll fish the far side of the island." Renesmee said.

"We tried." Fisherman said.

"The windward side." Renesmee said.

"And the leeward side, the shallows, the channel. We've tried the whole lagoon. They're just gone." Fisherman said.

"Have you tried using a different bait?" Edward said.

"I don't think it's the bait. There's no fish. It seems like it's getting worse and worse." Fisherman said.

"Of course, I understand you have reason for concern. I will talk to the council. I'm sure we..." Edward said.

"What if we fish beyond the reef?" Renesmee said.

"No one goes beyond the reef." Edward scolded.

"I know. But if there are no fish in the lagoon..." Renesmee said.

"Renesmee." Edward scolded.

"And there's a whole ocean." Renesmee said.

"We have one rule." Edward persisted.

"An old rule, when there were fish." Renesmee pressed.

"A rule that keeps us safe..." Edward repeated.

"But Dad, I..." Renesmee attempted

"...instead of endangering our people so you can run right back to the water." Edward scolded. "Every time I think you're past this... No one goes beyond the reef!"


	5. How Far I'll Go

"Well, it's not like you said it in front of your dad. Standing on a boat." Esme said.

"I didn't say go beyond the reef, because I want to be on the ocean." Renesmee said.

"But you still do." Esme confirmed.

Renesmee sighed.

"He's hard on you because..." Esme said.

"Because he doesn't get me." Renesmee said.

"Because he was you. Drawn to the ocean. Down by the shore. He took a canoe, Renesmee. He crossed the reef..." Esme said.

Thunder rumbled.

"...and found an unforgiving sea. Waves like mountains. His best friend begged to be on that boat. Your dad couldn't save him." Esme said.

There was yelling

"He's hoping he can save you. Sometimes who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, it's just not meant to be." Esme said.

Renesmee sighed, and went to the edge of the water where a boat was waiting. "I can do this."


	6. Voyagers

Renesmee failed at her sailing attempt.

"Whatever just happened, blame it on the pig." Esme said.

"Esme." Renesmee looked at her, wincing. "Are you gonna tell Dad?"

"I'm his mom. I don't have to tell him anything." Esme smiled gently at her.

"He was right. About going out there. It's time to put my stone on the mountain." Renesmee sighed, resigned.

"OK. Well, then, head on back. Put that stone up there." Esme pointed out.

"Why aren't you trying to talk me out of it?" Renesmee wondered.

"You said that's what you wanted." Esme hummed.

"It is." Renesmee confirmed, mostly to herself.

Esme hummed. "When I die, I'm going to come back as one of these. Or I chose the wrong tattoo."

"Why are you acting weird?" Renesmee asked, annoyed.

"I'm the village crazy lady. That's my job!" Esme giggled.

"If there's something you want to tell me, just tell me!" Renesmee shouted. She then continued nervously. "Is there something you wanna tell me?"

"Is there something you want to hear?" Esme grinned.

Esme led her to a cave.

"Oh..." Renesmee panted.

"You've been told all our people's stories but one." Esme chuckled.

"What is this place?" Renesmee asked, in awe.

"Do you really think our ancestors stayed within the reef?" Esme asked, grinning.

"What's in there?" Renesmee asked.

"The answer to the question you keep asking yourself. Who are you meant to be? Go inside, bang the drum, and find out." Esme smiled gently at her.

Renesmee and Esme went into the cave full of voyaging boats. There was a drum inside.

Renesmee banged the drum.

Images played throughout the cave, showing the tribe's past.

Renesmee gasped. "We were voyagers. We were voyagers! We were voyagers! We were voyagers! We were voyagers! Why'd we stop?"

"Jacob Black." Esme explained. "When he stole from the Mother Island, darkness fell. Te Kâ awoke. Monsters lurked and boats stopped coming back. To protect our people, the ancient chiefs forbid voyaging. And now we have forgotten who we are. And the darkness has continued to spread, chasing away our fish, draining the life from island after island.

"Our island." Renesmee realized.

"But, one day, someone will journey beyond our reef, find Jacob Black, deliever him across the great ocean to restore the heart of Te Fiti." Esme whispered. "I was there that day. The ocean chose you."

"I thought it was a dream." Renesmee said softly.

"Nope! Our ancestors believed Maui lies there, at the bottom of this hook. Follow it, and you will find him." Esme confirmed.

"But why would it choose me? I don't even know how to make it past the reef. But I know who does!" Renesmee exclaimed.


	7. Denial

The crops are turning black." A villager said, presenting them to Edward.

"What about the fish?" Another said.

"This is happening all over the island." A third said.

"Please, please, settle down." Edward said.

"What are you going to do?" The villager asked.

"We will dig new fields. We will find a way to-" Edward said.

"We can stop the darkness! Save our island! There's a carvern of boats. Huge canoes. We can take them, find Jacob, make him restore the heart. We were voyagers! We can voyage again! You told me to help our people. This is how we help our people. Dad? What are you doing?" Renesmee said.

"I should've burned those boats a long time ago!" Edward said.

"No! Don't! We have to find Jacob. We have to restore the heart!" Renesmee declared.

"There is no heart! This- This is just a rock!" Edward threw it away.

"No!" Renesmee breathed rapidly.


	8. Quest

A horn blew.

"Chief! It's your mother!" Villager said.

Edward gasped and ran to her.

Esme was breathing rapidly.

Renesmee gasped and ran over.

"Mother..." Edward sighed. "What can be done?"

Esme spoke weakly. "Go."

"Esme..." Renesmee said.

"Go." Esme said firmly.

"Not now. I can't." Renesmee said.

"You must! The ocean chose you. Follow the fish hook." Esme said.

"Esme..." Renesmee said.

"And when you find Jacob, you grab him by the ear. You say, "I am Renesmee of Motunui. You will board my boat, sail across the sea, and restore the heart of Te Fiti." Esme said in a stronger voice.

Renesmee's voice broke. "I- I can't leave you."

"There is nowhere you could go that I won't be with you." Esme said, touching her hand.

Renesmee whimpered.

Esme breathed heavily.

"Go!" Esme cried.

Renesmee left for her quest.


	9. Jacob Black

"Boat! A boat! The gods have given me a..." Jacob ran to the shore.

Renesmee cleared her throat.

"Hmm?" Jacob said.

"Jacob Black, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, I am Renesmee of..." Renesmee began.

"Hero of men." Jacob said.

"What?" Renesmee said softly.

"It's actually, Jacob Black, shapeshifter, demigod of the wind and sea, hero of men. I interrupted. From the top. Hero of men. Go." Jacob said.

"I am..." Renesmee began.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry. And women. Men and women. Both. All. Not a guy, girl thing. You know, Jacob is a hero to all. You're doing great." Jacob clicked his tongue.

"What? No! I'm here to..." Renesmee said.

"Of course. Yes, yes, yes. Jacob always has time for his fans." Jacob hummed and chuckles. "I know, not every day you get a chance to meet your hero."

"You are not my hero. And I'm not here so you can sign my oar! I'm here 'cause you stole the heart of Te Fiti! And you will board my boat, and sail across the sea and put it back!" Renesmee said.

"Um... Yeah, it almost sounded like you don't like me which is impossible because I got stuck here for a thousand years trying to get the heart as a gift for you mortals. So you could have the power to create life itself. Yeah. So, what I believe you were trying to say is "Thank you." Jacob said.

"Thank you?" Renesmee said.

"You're welcome." Jacob said.

"What? No, no, no! I didn't... I wasn't... Why would I ever say that? I mean..." Renesmee said.

Jacob chuckled. "OK, OK."


End file.
